Is the West Really Advancing Democracy in Africa?
The African version of (neo-)liberation
regimes which appeared in the leadership that immediately followed independence
leaders were dominated by former insurgents inspired by Marxism–Leninism with
some claims of Pan-Africanism. Most if not all of them seized power by
overthrowing their predecessors, thanks to the Cold War and the West/East
divide, they always got support from either of the super powers now that proxy
wars were fashion anyway. Africa's international relations during this period
were framed not only within the politics of the Cold War but also the
contestations of status quoism as well as preservation of the Western hegemony
especially in the 80s. for both strategic and ideological reasons, the West
particularly, looked away and/or supported situations where insurgents fought
home governments from foreign (often neighboring countries). Examples are there
in abundance. They include Eritrean People’s Liberation Front (EPLF), the
Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), Uganda’s National
Resistance Army/Movement (NRA/M) and the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) all of
which pursued regime change outside their borders throughout the 80s up until
the 90s. This thing about sovereignty and non-interference was always a nice
thing to say or at least, it did not matter in Africa. In fact, after most of
these insurgent groups overthrew legitimate governments in their countries, the
West quickly declared that Africa was experiencing a new crop of
leadership," What all these new leaders had/have in common is that they
all became dictators. But even after mutating into outright dictators still the
West is transacting with Museveni, Kagame etc even with full knowledge that
Museveni is actively meddling in the Sudan just as him and Kagame are meddling
in Democratic Republic of Congo etc .Before someone tells you nice stories
about how the West has been advancing democracy in Africa, be skeptical and
cautious. It is all about what America and its allies want not about
democratisation in Africa or anywhere for that matter. Don't they transact with
pure authoritarians in Azerbaijan or Saudi Arabia anyway?
Is the West Really Advancing Democracy in Africa?
Reviewed by Ibrahim Magara
on
November 09, 2018
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